Another Second Chance
by HeliosNerd
Summary: Gaius has finally left his criminal ways in the past, he thinks for good, but a chance encounter with notorious Niles may have drawn him right back into that mess. Modern AU
1. Chapter 1

Chrom had no right to insist so much of him. Sure, he had advertised to the man that his ability to work nights when necessary to keep projects on track made him a valuable asset to any independent bioengineering company, but that was mostly an embellishment because Gaius really needed to start working ASAP and he wasn't eager to go crawling to the major companies and try to find a dead-end entry level position. He never thought Chrom would actually call upon him to skim years of old reports looking for the one step that may have caused such catastrophic results in the final product. It felt like busy work better left to the interns, had the outcome not been a complete lack of function in what was supposed to be a revolutionary device, but in any case Gaius was not pleased at all with this kind of work. Scraping together all his money for a proper college degree with the hopes of going straight was supposed to lead to an engaging, unique career, not this. Not sitting alone at a desk in a cubicle in an office at night with only the protocols for company. His sharp eye had detected numerous small errors that could cause the overall issue already, but he knew if he presented an incomplete report it could cost the company a lot of valuable time in developing the device. He was stuck.

His phone buzzed in his pocket. Just a text, but it was a distraction from this endless work. After retrieving the phone he leaned back in his chair, a sly grin stretching across his face when he saw the contact. An old flame, someone from college who said he was too immature to ever amount to anything above stealing from the vending machines, had finally come to her senses and invited him out for drinks. There was no way he was still interested, but she had given him an excuse to leave the office and, should Chrom be furious when he showed up the next day and the work wasn't done, Gaius could at least cite the heartfelt invitation of the woman. He decided to go for it, quickly saving the notes he had made on the protocols before powering down his computer and plunging the whole floor into darkness. Naturally they had turned the lights off on him. He didn't mind much, aside from the clear implication that his work was not valued by his superiors, since the dark had been his friend for many years. After managing to snag his jacket from the back of his chair, he crept along the row of cubicles towards the elevator, which thankfully was both operational and had bright lights to welcome him. It was a relatively short ride and Gaius jogged past the security guards now stationed at the receptionist's desk without any sort of recognition. It was critical that he leave with the impression it was urgent, not like he had sprung on the first pathetic excuse to ditch work. He wouldn't have time to run home and change into something more fun, so he would have to show up to this bar still wearing the button-up black shirt and khakis he had forced on for work. Most bar patrons could care less what you were wearing unless they thought they could get you out of it, anyway. If he popped the collar and undid a few buttons and untucked the stupid thing from his pants it would be acceptable.

Making the necessary adjustments, Gaius hopped on the next bus bound for Cyrkensia. Sure, it was a bit of a trip away from downtown Ylisse, but he was willing to make the trip. Ylisse had the museums and theaters, Cyrkensia had the bars and clubs. That was how locals described the cities, at least, and in Gaius's experience it had been true. His first attempt at college had been ruined thanks to too many nights spent on those filthy streets. Well, that first attempt had been ruined by more than just excessive partying, but it definitely didn't help. To fill the time, Gaius scanned the other passengers with a practiced eye, nearly positive the three women seated near the front were heading out to the pleasure capital for the first time ever and that the three men a few seats away were going to take advantage of that. He would keep an eye out, step in if he thought something was really dangerous. Even at his lowest Gaius had been something of a vigilante in situations like this. But for now everything was fine, just a typical bus ride close to eleven fifteen at night with the typical sleazy crowd. He almost dozed since there was nothing particularly interesting to do, after, of course, arranging where specifically to meet up with this old flame, but the driver booted them all off a few stops before downtown Cyrkensia and forced Gaius to lead a march to the good bars. The girls thanked him enthusiastically when he finally turned a corner and neon signs split through the night, and the dudes were distantly appreciative. Gaius suspected no one really wanted to spend more time with some creep headed to Cyrkensia in his khakis and he didn't blame them, and besides their absence meant he was free to meander to the proper bar alone and enter it in his own time, just to ensure the woman waiting inside knew he wasn't in any great hurry to see her again.

From the moment he walked in she was loading him up with drinks, which he thought was a little strange since this was the same woman who said he wasn't mature enough for her way back when. Unfortunately for her, he had a tolerance for booze that superseded the depths of her wallet, not to mention he was starving and ordered enough slices of cake to form a full one, but she had graciously agreed to buy long before he had arrived. The fact that he hadn't mentioned to her the details of his metabolism was merely a coincidence. When the bar got boring she took him next door to dance, and he had no reservations about following her into a nightclub even though he still wasn't dressed right for hanging around a place as trendy as this. They stayed for a few hours, until Gaius was cut off by the bartender, and by then he was ready to tell the woman to get lost and just hang around outside on his own. She ended up leaving him before he could confront her on how little he actually cared for her company, on the arm of some typical douche. He didn't care. It was late enough for the last call in more than one of the bars along the street, but that only meant drunk people spilling into the streets. He had made a pact with himself after graduating with a degree that he wouldn't steal anymore, but there had to be an exception in times like this! None of these idiots were conscious enough to realize if he had picked a dollar or two from their pockets, and he wasn't conscious enough to stop himself anyway. Thieving had, in no small part, aided him through high school and both attempts at college, and of course through that year between said attempts. He was a natural. Why should he allow his talent to grow dull and pathetic just for a job?

The first few wallets were easy, and had plenty of cash left over. He wasn't fond of cards and ID's since that was a more dangerous game, though the occasional credit card could be useful, but it was easier to take an entire wallet than to take it, swipe the cash, and replace it in someone's pocket. In his prime he had done that with ease, just to show off in front of the other pickpockets, but tonight he didn't even have a need for money or theatrics. After a few unsuspecting victims he dumped the wallets in an alley trash can and moved down the street to a nightclub, slipping past its impressive line while snagging a few loose bills. Not once did he pause to consider how being employed for a solid month left him with plenty of money, and how this was all because he was bored and procrastinating on real work. He just kept taking cash, and of course getting away with it, until he reached into the purse of the one woman who was paying attention at the one moment he wasn't.

Needless to say, she called the cops since she just happened to be that bitter about the whole situation, and though no one could prove he was pickpocketing intentionally they booked him for disorderly conduct anyway. The cops hardly acknowledged him, both on the ride down to the station and while entering him into the system, and he was just wasted enough not to care. Probably thought he was just Irish trash anyway, no danger of criminal activity other than mercilessly attempting to murder his own liver. He was fine with that, since it meant he would get to go to work tomorrow and pretend like this was all some big misunderstanding. Tell Chrom he had one too many and happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. He would still be in trouble regardless, thanks to the unfinished work waiting idly on his computer, but at least he would have the chance to finish it rather than be fired. Probably should have thought ahead anyway; Chrom was an old high school friend but that only meant Chrom knew Gaius was a thief even when his criminal record couldn't support such a claim. He would be on thin ice for this.

The night wore on and Gaius found himself attempting to stay awake while sprawled on a bench in a holding cell. There were surprisingly few other occupants, but it was a weeknight and not exactly close to any major party holidays, so of course it was possible that it was just a slow night. At one point Gaius was the only one, with no family at home to bail him out and no way he would ever call Chrom for such a favor, but that solitude was short lived when a cop somewhat brutishly led a new man to the cell. Gaius lifted his head enough to observe the new guy, saw that his skin was dark enough to be some sort of hispanic, and determined that color alone accounted for the cop's treatment of him. The guy didn't seem especially resistant, though his face was stormy, and by the slight stagger in his gait Gaius deduced they were sharing a cell for similar charges. Once they locked the cell door Gaius let his head thud back down on the bench.

"You in for something serious?" the newcomer asked suddenly, tilting his head up at Gaius to show confidence. "I don't want to get all cozy for tonight only to have you strangle me in my sleep."

"Don't think this is the place for stranglers," Gaius muttered in response, casting a cool gaze to his temporary roommate. "I'm not trying anything if you're not."

"Good, good." The new guy plunked himself down on the bench opposite Gaius and crossed his arms. "So, what'd they get you for? I'm guessing stalking."

"What gives you that impression?"

"You look like you just got off work, probably so you could chase some poor girl around," the new guy teased, a smirk to his face that suggested he really didn't believe the accusation.

Gaius forced himself to sit up, his head just beginning to pound but he was more interested in entertaining this guy than nursing a hangover. "Disorderly conduct. Some chick thought I was pickpocketing."

"Right," the new guy replied, stretching out the vowel and nodding in the dramatic fashion that proved he knew exactly what really occurred. "They got me for loitering."

"Seriously?"

He nodded. "Tried to tell them my girlfriend was inside, I was just waiting for her, but they never believe it from me."

"Is she on her way for you?"

The new guy snickered darkly. "If she had been in there in the first place, I wouldn't be here. In fact, if she even existed, I probably wouldn't need to spend nights hoping for handouts."

"Where did they catch you?"

"Outside a McDonald's."

Gaius felt a twinge of empathy for the guy, since he had spent many a weekend in similar situations. "Sorry."

"Don't be. I would arrest me too." The guy sighed and leaned back against the cold wall. "Spent the week picking pockets too. They were probably on to me."

Gaius snorted and grinned. "Probably. I'm just glad only the one caught me tonight. I could be in a lot of trouble if everyone had noticed."

"You don't strike me as that type," the new guy commented honestly, shrugging. "Perfect crime, I guess."

"Yeah, but if you had seen me in high school you'd think differently." For some reason, probably related to the alcohol, Gaius felt like opening up to this guy. "I was homeless for a few years after I graduated, hanging around real sketchy places. Always on the cops' radar. I just recently got away from all that."

The new guy gestured around to the cell. "You sure about that?"

"Trying to get away," Gaius corrected with a smirk. "Got a promising job now. Just made a mistake tonight and went out with someone I shouldn't've."

"Good luck to you, then," the new guy replied, softly but genuinely. "I've got a lead on a job, too, but haven't managed to prove I deserve it. This won't help."

"Caught loitering outside a McDonald's. I'm sure they'll send you packing for that," Gaius huffed sarcastically. "Look, man, if all you gotta do is prove yourself, just comb your hair and sit up straight. I've been there before. They just want to see you pretend to be a businessman, nothing dramatic."

"You sure? They seem to be waiting for something dramatic."

"That's just to scare you. It's all these mind games to see if you'll fit in in the corporate world."

The new guy's lips twitched into a grin suddenly. "Thanks. You know, if I get that job, I'll have to make it up to you."

Gaius wanted to reply that it was all fine, no need for such formality, but the prospect of seeing this man on the other side of the bars was definitely more fun. "Yeah, we'll have to celebrate."

He must have passed out sometime after that, since his memories were blurry or else entirely blank after that, but after the cops pushed him off the front step that morning he bided his time until they released his new friend. They exchanged numbers and parted ways with little more than a wave, but when Gaius regarded the man's new contact in his phone he couldn't help but smile. Niles, the contact read, with the company listed as "Caught Loitering Outside McDonald's" and an email following the number itself. Maybe it wasn't a conventional start to a friendship, and maybe it would be in Gaius's best interest not to make friends in jail anymore, but a desk job was so _boring_. He deserved some kind of adventure like this, and how he longed for the adventure to continue!


	2. Chapter 2

"Gaius. My office." Chrom had to force the authority necessary to scare Gaius, but his half-hearted addition of "Now!" roused Gaius from his seat. He had such little time to run home, shower, and change before returning to work that he was a bit flustered that morning, and the dark circles under his eyes definitely betrayed a late night. He groaned the entire short walk into Chrom's office and collapsed in the seat across from the boss's desk, not bothering to regard the man any more professionally than he had in high school.

"Look, I'm sorry I didn't finish going through the reports. I was working on it just now, I promise. I've already found plenty of mistakes that I think may be causing the issue with-"

"Gaius." Chrom attempted to fold his hands like some kind of stern TV boss, but it was unnatural and Gaius could tell, so instead he sat back in his chair and sighed. "I don't care right now. I didn't think you'd be able to finish it all last night anyway. What I'm worried about is you."

"Me?"

"Yeah. You have to admit you look like shit today."

Gaius narrowed his eyes. "Are you allowed to say that to an employee?"

"I'm not saying it as a boss, I'm saying it as your friend." There really was concern behind Chrom's eyes, and the man had always been one for poorly suppressing his emotions in his face. "Did you get into trouble last night?"

"Just had a few too many drinks, nothing serious."

"Nothing?" Chrom pressed, his eyes fixed on Gaius's even though he was fully aware he could never win a staring contest against Gaius. "Are you sure? Because if something serious happened I will find out and then we'll have to talk about your future with this company. If you tell me now, I'll work with you to get you help."

Chrom was that kind of nice guy, always willing to see the good in someone first, but Gaius found it suffocating when he knew Chrom had never wanted for anything, never had to make the treacherous decisions where every option led to variations of trouble. Chrom wanted to help but could never empathize enough to understand where his help was really needed. Not that Gaius would ever ask for handouts from this man, anyway. That was why they never talked after high school. But at the end of the day, Chrom had been his best friend back then and was quite possibly the only thing keeping off the streets now, so Gaius made the executive decision to come clean. "I got arrested last night for disorderly conduct. I don't think anyone's pressing charges, they just kept me through the night so I wouldn't be out terrorizing people on the streets."

"Okay." Chrom nodded slowly, averting his gaze to the bookshelves lining his office. "Were you stealing?"

"I didn't get anything from her, she caught me in the act." Internally Gaius punched himself. "I was drunk. I wasn't even trying to get anything, it was just a bad habit."

"You can't let it happen again," Chrom demanded weakly, as though he didn't believe Gaius was capable of even comprehending his words. "You really can't. If you go to jail for robbery I can't have you associated with this company. You have to understand that. The police won't let you go just for claiming this was a force of habit. If you want to stay employed, you really need to commit to abiding by all the laws."

"I know." This reminded him of the principal's office, but unfortunately that meant he was only half paying attention.

"Do you? This is a serious thing, Gaius. You can't just pick when you follow the rules. You can't decide that just because it's the weekend suddenly you're allowed to be a thief again." Chrom turned back to face him, leaning his arms on his desk so that his presence was even slightly more imposing. "You can't steal just because anymore. It's one thing when it was your only option. I'm not saying I condone it or anything, but it makes sense why you were doing it back then. Now you don't need to, and all it can do is get you in trouble. You need to understand that."

"I'm a grown-ass man, I don't need this lecture," Gaius snapped. "You aren't telling me anything I don't already know."

"I know, but that's the problem. If you know it's wrong, why do you still do it?"

Gaius enunciated snidely, "Force of habit."

"Well, break it." Chrom released a frustrated sigh and stood up, making for the door. "Go do your work. Prove to me I didn't make a mistake in hiring you."

Gaius heaved himself up and dragged his feet on his way to the door. It was petulant and he was well aware of that, but Chrom's attempts to be this kind of authority deserved a childish reaction. As he passed the boss, he tossed his gaze up just to remind Chrom he had been paying attention and would take it all to heart, even if he acted irresponsible now. He did need the job. That was enough to straighten his back and adjust the irritated look on his face to one of blank tolerance. He made the walk of shame back to his desk with a certain measure of pride, just so that the few coworkers peeking at him over cubicle walls would know he was still employed and not in a mess of trouble. When he took his seat, his last measure of procrastination came in the form of rolling his shoulders before settling in for a long day of skimming reports and noting problems. Maybe if he did well enough on this Chrom would give him something more engaging.

Lunchtime came so slowly, but Gaius was determined to read the last five pages before taking a break. He had plenty of candy stashed in his desk anyway, and he could pop gummy bears while typing out notes easily. Finally finishing this assignment was just within his reach when a text message dissipated his focus. He decided to take a lunch now. Five pages really wasn't that much to finish when he got back. He leaned back in his chair, smiling when he realized the message was from Niles and it was an invitation to get lunch.

 _I work in downtown Ylisse. Where can you meet?_

He waited for a few seconds, already tugging his jacket on.

 _I'll meet you someplace there. I'm not too far away_

They exchanged a few more awkwardly simple texts, finally settling on an easy to find Starbucks just down the street from Gaius's office, but Gaius charged to the elevator as if he had made plans to visit the moon. Anything beat one more minute of tedium under the pseudo-stern gaze of Chrom. He didn't even like Starbucks that much, aside from its proximity to the office and the fact that they sold decent cake pops. He ordered three, and an iced tea just to look like he actually meant to come here, and waited at a table by the window so that he would see Niles the moment the guy arrived. It was busy at the little cafe, thanks to the lunch rush, and the baristas could barely keep track of orders being entered and served. When Niles finally walked in, he raised his eyebrows and offered a bit of a smirk to Gaius but did not approach. Gaius chewed a cake pop and watched as his jailbird friend hung in the back of the pack of unserved customers, craning his neck to see over them as if his order had been placed hours in advance and he was still waiting for it. A few drinks came out and were immediately claimed by vicious harpy housewives, but then there was a call for some mundane name and Niles darted forward to claim the venti black coffee. He was so confident in the way he thanked the barista that she seemed not to notice he had not once approached the counter to order. Niles carried the drink over to Gaius's table and sat down with a proud smile. "I start the job next Monday."

"That's good. Did you do what I said?"

Niles nodded and sipped the coffee. "They thought I was finally ready to take a serious job. Even wore a suit to the interview."

"Told you." Gaius returned the smirk and gestured to Niles's coffee with a cake pop stick. "I'm proud of you."

Niles lifted the cup as if to a toast. "I've been doing this a long time. I could teach you little tricks like that. They just make life a little easier."

"Nah, man. I appreciate the offer but after last night my boss is practically breathing down my neck. I can't afford to get caught."

"Then don't get caught," Niles replied matter-of-factly. The slight confusion in his face suggested he had been living by the same creed his whole life and had never faced serious repercussions. "I bet you're good at keeping a low profile, even with hair like that. You could probably get away with all kinds of things people would never let me."

Gaius ran a self-conscious hand through his vivid ginger hair, which had never been a source of conversation before today but suddenly seemed to be the only thing he could blame for every failed theft. "How do you know they won't get me caught?"

"Because you can do the one disguise I can't: uptight, rule-following white guy." Niles grinned but the expression was still somehow tainted by the smugness of a smirk. "I won't let you get caught."

"Don't patronize me. I don't need a mentor."

"Of course not, and I wouldn't dream of suggesting it." Niles took a long, dramatic sip of his stolen coffee. "I was thinking 'partner' would be a better word for it."

Gaius narrowed his eyes and observed Niles more closely. He was cleaner than he had been last night, and the casually wrinkled gray suit now clothing him seemed too pristine to have been tucked away for a special occasion and only now found its purpose. He guessed Niles had stolen that too, though how was beyond him. Perhaps there was something to be learned from this guy after all. Of course, if he was still a thief, which he was definitely 100% not. It was a tempting offer but he would have to refuse. "Listen, it's a fun idea, but-"

Niles suddenly tossed a cake pop stick on the table between them, which made Gaius realize he was down to one but had only eaten one. Damn, this man was good. Niles crossed his arms. "But?"

"But don't text me about it, and never visit me at work. It has to be spontaneous. I don't want any traces of it left where my boss could find 'em."

"Same goes for you, man. I'm on probation too."

"Good. I'm in." He didn't want to shake hands, such a conspicuous gesture of agreements in a public place, but he did nod for emphasis.

Niles's grin somehow became more conceited. "Glad I met you."

"The feeling's mutual." Gaius checked his phone swiftly. "Since we have all that worked out and I still have fifteen minutes of lunch, what exactly is this job you got?"

"It's for a family-run company, since I used to protect one of the brothers from bullies in high school. Nothing too serious, just security and a bit of marketing if they need it..."


	3. Chapter 3

Little stores didn't stand a chance against them. They switched up how they would walk in or how they would present their relationship, everything from best buds snack shopping together to complete strangers who entered a store ten minutes apart. They always made the appropriate getaway too, following whatever story had brought them in, but between entering and sneaking away Niles would do his best to seem overly suspicious, attracting the undivided attention of the cashier, while Gaius would commit the real crime and grab snacks off the shelves as subtly as possible. Since they weren't attempting to survive, Gaius was free to choose the most sugary, tooth-rotting crap offered by the stores, and Niles always laughed when they finally felt safe revealing the haul and it was comprised nearly entirely of candy. Once in awhile they pulled Niles's Starbucks stunt and got away with some pretty intense coffee concoctions. When they met in person they often strolled past department store windows and daydreamt aloud on how amazing it would be to steal something fancy just for the thrill of it, but Gaius insisted that for the sake of their jobs they just let that be a dream. Teenage Gaius would have scolded his twenties self for such reluctance. Sure, it felt a bit treacherous to simply admire pretty things in the window instead of plotting to own them, but this was what going straight was all about. Niles never pushed him one way or the other, thankfully. He was a neutral party.

They were lounging on a park bench in downtown Ylisse one afternoon, enjoying the last few days of sunshine before fall set in completely. Niles was a bit anxious, checking his phone compulsively every few minutes, since he had to commute back to Nohr before an evening shift, but not even worrying about an hour commute could ruin the tranquility of a dying summer afternoon. Gaius had a few bags of Skittles from the last convenient store that kept his hands occupied, but his mind wandered. It had been a fun few weeks, reliving the thrill of getting away with free food, but each job was a step backwards, back towards poverty and uncertainty. He hadn't clawed his way through college for this. The only real upside, not counting free candy, was having someone to make plans with. That was his favorite part of the entire thing: rushing to and from work because he had to meet someone. Life got pretty boring without it, and Gaius wasn't about to see if he could tag along with Chrom to corporate golf or some other boring pastime. Niles saw the world as an opportunity, and he was willing to do crazy things for the sake of the adventure that filled even boring tasks with something to remember. This bench thing was an exception to every meeting they'd had since jail. Gaius had suggested they sit while they planned their next target, but neither of them had spoken since, and he wasn't sure if he should feel peaceful or just awkward. It almost seemed like they had hit every corner store, gas station, and drugstore in Ylisse, and that meant either it was time to move into a new city or time to move to bigger targets. He wasn't sure which was the better option; as a teen he had blown from city to city whenever he became too conspicuous, but he couldn't up and leave a stable, paying job and an affordable apartment. Maybe Niles could still afford to do that, since his job seemed much more flexible, but Gaius was locked in.

"Hey, not sure if you're interested," Niles spoke up suddenly with only a fraction of his usual brash confidence, "and it's a while off anyway, but would you want to come to my office Halloween party?"

Gaius snorted, but a quick glance at Niles assured him this was no joke. "They're doing a Halloween party?"

"Yeah, it's kinda ridiculous, but there'll be candy and the peeled grapes eyeball thing," Niles dismissed with a bit of forced humor entering his words. "They thought everyone would work better if we did more holiday parties. I'm on the fence about going alone, so I thought I'd ask."

Gaius laughed more genuinely, and couldn't deny the temptation of legal free candy. "Only if we do costumes."

Relief flooded Niles's face, but he masked it quickly with smug indifference. "You fine with being robbers?"

"That's pushing our luck. Maybe cops is safer." Gaius leaned his elbows on his knees and rested his head on his hands, casting his gaze out to the few other occupants of the park. Not many people were lucky enough to watch the sun set on a weekday. "Or maybe we do both. One of us is the cop, the other is the robber."

"Didn't know we reached that stage," Niles teased slyly.

"What stage?"

"Complementary costumes. Seems like only best buddies do stuff like that."

"Well..." Gaius considered his words carefully, knowing that such a statement was premature when all they did was steal together and he hardly knew a thing about Niles aside from that. Still, they had a pretty strong bond thanks to being literal partners in crime, and Gaius currently had an opening for a best friend. Chrom hardly counted anymore. "Guess that makes us best buddies."

Niles laughed heartily, such a sincere display of emotion from what Gaius had observed to be such an insincere man. He had completely forgotten the impulse to check the time, and it almost seemed like he was newly relieved of a more pressing worry. "Best buddies. I think we're the worst best buddies of all time. I don't even know the intimate shit like your favorite color."

"Green," Gaius replied easily, enjoying a conversation that, for once, didn't revolve around lawbreaking. "My favorite animal is bears, I have a degree in microbiology, and my blood type is O negative."

"Aw, and here I was thinking you were cool!" Niles chuckled and narrowed his eyes at Gaius. "You really have a degree, or are you just good at forgery too?"

"I really have a degree," Gaius admitted proudly. "Took me six years to get it, too, not including the year I wasn't enrolled."

"Damn. I'm lucky I finished high school." As if to drop the subject, Niles shrugged passively. "My favorite color's red, and my favorite animal's the owl. Don't have a degree, but I wanted to study literature. Blood type's AB positive."

"Literature? Really?"

Niles squinted at him, sizing up his reaction. "Yeah. I know I may not seem the type, but it was the one kind of thinking that made sense to me in high school. We can't all be science geeks."

"No we can't. I can't write for shit."

"Nothing wrong with that as long as you can read. You can't read, we can't be best buddies."

"I can read." Gaius snickered softly and glanced at Niles. "What kind of books d'you like?"

"Depends. Anything, really, just at different times. What kind of, uh, micro... things... d'you like?"

"Back in high school the dream was to study prions, but the company I work for mostly just hires people with science degrees so anything we write is confusing enough to sound smart," Gaius lamented somewhat too dramatically. "It's bioengineering, sure, but the amount of actual bioengineers there is pathetic."

"Any life-altering projects in the works?"

"Yeah but it's broken. We're trying to regulate dopamine release, see if we can't use it to alleviate addiction but in a non-addictive way. The hope is to manipulate receptors and put them back in the body."

"I don't know what that means."

Gaius rubbed the back of his neck while he thought. "Did you do drugs in high school?"

"No."

"Okay, ever take oxycodone?"

"Yes." Almost defensively fast, Niles added, "It was prescribed."

"Okay. So did they warn you about taking too much, and about not giving it to other people?"

"Yeah."

"Oxy's addictive because one of the things it does for you is affect dopamine release. Too much of it and your body stops recognizing the dopamine being released, so you need more and more to feel better." Gaius held out his hands as if to mimic some sort of process, but stopped short with both hands palm up since he had no idea what he could possibly illustrate with motion. "So people get addicted because they don't recognize normal levels of dopamine anymore. My work is trying to figure out a way to make the body see everything like normal, so that addicts can quit using stuff like that but without getting addicted to our thing."

There was a long silence, Nile's face stoney due to critical thought. Finally, the man leaned back against the bench and uttered, awestruck, "Damn you're smart."

"Yeah, well, it's not microbiology but this hit home for me."

"You're an addict?"

Gaius shook his head. "My parents were."

Another silence followed, but at the very least Gaius now felt a lot more comfortable calling Niles his best buddy. He knew the root issue now, the one thing that had caused everything else to spiral slowly out of Gaius's control. It had been a slippery slope but Gaius had found a way to climb back up, finally. And now it could be ruined thanks to stealing with this man. He tried to push the thought from his head and just enjoy the fact that Niles was dumbfounded by his hidden intelligence.

"Well, I hope you figure it out." Niles sighed deeply, just as the sun sunk behind the cityscape. "Man, I just liked reading in high school."

"Now that you've got a job you should go back and get a degree," Gaius suggested softly to try and shift the conversation.

"Maybe I will. For now I'm fine stealing coffee from authors trying to write at Starbucks."

Gaius smirked. "Honestly, so am I."

From there they hiked to the Starbucks on the corner and stole lattes from some guy named Marc, and only a few minutes after that Gaius had to return to the office and Niles started the commute back to Nohr. Of course, work dragged on for Gaius and he clocked out just a few minutes early to save himself from tedium. The bus was running late that night and was so full he had to stand, occupying himself for the ride by trying to guess what Niles needed oxycodone for and if it had something to do with him stealing now. Possibilities filled his head as the bus chugged along; innocent injury from a high school sport, extra bad ear infection, and then dependence and addiction and squandered potential. It wasn't a pleasant train of thought, so he cut it short by brainstorming Halloween costumes instead. It had been years since he had actually dressed up for the holiday and hadn't just stolen a bag of candy from the store, but he had all the ideas from those years still stored in his mind. Something goofy, cliché, or even blatantly homemade would definitely draw a good response from an office party. And the opportunity to dress Niles up in something ridiculous was an offer he could not refuse, not after he had bared his soul to the man for little more than a stolen drink. Maybe the office party would give him some ammunition against Niles in return.

A few larger passengers squeezed in around him, filling the already musty bus with the odor of cigarettes, so when Gaius's stop came up and he had to push through them to reach the exit, he couldn't resist swiping a wallet from the closest one. That wallet wore heavy in his pocket as he hiked up the stairwell to the sixth floor of the complex and entered the tiny apartment. When he showered that night he turned the knob as hot as he could muster, staring the stolen wallet protruding from his abandoned work pants, as if the heat could possibly burn away both the crime and the satisfaction it had brought him to commit it. When his skin was practically aflame from the water he finally exited the shower and beelined for his phone. He hit Niles's contact.

 _I have an idea and a proposal. Which one first?_

 _Idea_ came the reply almost instantly.

 _Pirates for Halloween?_

 _Sounds good. What's the proposal?_

 _What if we don't necessarily buy the costumes?_

He could practically see the satisfied grin on Niles's face. I've _been waiting to hear something like that._

* * *

 **Note _:_** All science mentioned here is overly simplified and probably incorrect in places. Sorry about any inaccuracies. My aim was to depict Gaius's current job and degree as a product of his past, and show how his intelligence sprung from that. Also I know it's been three chapters already and Niles is still pretty reserved, but I promise if you decide to check in with the next chapter it will be much more fun and Niles will be much more like his usual self!


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